Machine for rounding hat-brims.



No. 662,176. Patented Nav. 2o, |900.-

J. STEWART,l m. MACHINE FUR RUUNDING HAT BRIMS.

(Application led Oct. 19, 1896.)

2 Sheets-Sheet I.

/ INVENTOR:

No. 662,|76. Patented Nov. 20, |900.

.1. STEWART, 1n.

MACHINE FR ROUNDING HAT BRIMS.

(Application led Oct. 19, 1896.)

(No Model.) f2 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

Q ff l mnunmffimwmmfssmm' WITNESSES; INVENTOR;

STATES lTE fflrrici.

` ATRNT MACHINE FOR ROUNDING HATBFIIIMS;

srncrnlcA'ron'rorming part of Letters Patent No. 662,176, dated Novembef2o, 1960. Application filed Ofctoher 19, 1896. Serial No. 609,364. (NomodeLl To @all whom, t may concern.-

Be it known that l, JAMES STEWART, Jr., a citizen of the United States,residing at Yonkers, in the county of Westchester and State of New York,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines forRounding Hat-Brims, of which the following is a specification.

I am aware that heretofore various forms of machines have been proposedfor rounding hatbrims; but so far as I know they have not beensufficiently practical in operation and satisfactory in results, and atthe present time hat-brims are rounded by skilled operators usingcutting-shears. In thus rounding hatbrims the relative perfection of theoperation entirely depends upon the special skill and care of' theoperator, and the output of a single hat-rounderis necessarily small. Inpractice also the rounded hat-brims will vary often to a considerableextent, due to the individual care, skill, or personal characteristicsof the hat-rounder. Entirely satisfactory uniformity has not beengenerally obtainable, and there is always danger of the hats beingspoiled by carelessness on the part of the rounder. The purpose of myinvention is to provide a machine by which hat-bruns may be accuratelyrounded without the employment of skilled hat-rounders and by which theoutput of rounded hats may be largely increased-that is to say, themachine may be operated by relatively unskilled labor and will becapable of turning out a relatively7 large number of accurately-roundedhats, and at the same time the danger of spoiling hats by carelessnessin rounding them is reduced to a minimum.

The machine which is the subject-matter of this application has beenconstructed and practically operated by me with the results suggested inthe foregoing general statement.

For the purpose of' describing my invention it may be stated that thereare two general classes of hats-first, those having curled bruns, whoseedges are usually bound, and, second, those having a comparativelyuncurled unbound edge, which are designated in the trade as bossraw-edge hats. My improved machine is applicable to the rounding of'hats of either style. Hats of' the first class when prepared forrounding have a decidedly-curled brim and a well-defined groove orcorrugation running around the brim near the edge, such groove beingformed by the cord with which the hat-body has been se'- cnred upon theformer. ln rounding such hats the surplus is cut off just inside of thiscord mark,groove, or corrugation. Boss rawedge hats when prepared forrounding usually have little, if any, curl and near the edge of the brimthe4 edge is turned up so as to form a somewhat-angular flange-like edgeclearly defined by the angle caused by the turn or bend in the edge ofthe brim. In rounding the formed brirns of such hats it is desirable tocut off the surplus to give a iin-- ished raw edge at a uniform distanceoutside of such angle or bend.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate my invention in apractical and efficient form and in the form now best known tome, Figurel is a side elevation; Fig. 2, a partial vertical longitudinal. sectionon the line 2 2 of Fig. 4; Fig. 3, a horizontal section on theliue 3 3of Fig. l; Fig. 4, an enlarged end view viewed from the left side ofFig. 1; Fig. 5, a similar view showing modified devices to be used whenboss raw-edge hats are to be rounded; Fig. 6, a horizontal section onthe line 6 6 of Fig. 7; and Fig. 7, apartial side elevation, partly insection.

A is the standard of the machine, which may be attached to a base 'ortable and has projecting laterally from it a frame whose outer end wherethe cutter is located is somewhat higher than the end attached to Athestandard. The purpose of this inclination is to facilitate the accuratefeeding and rounding ot the brim by the cutter, since the curl orbend atthe edge of the brim is of such contour that the hat will hang in properposition as it is being fed around under the cutter, as hereinafter moreparticularly described. The laterally-projecting frame consists ot' abase portion B and uprights C C, in which the cutter-shaft D has itsbearings. One end of the cutter-shaft is provided with driving-pulleysd, and the opposite end carries a circular cutter E. A feed-.roll andcutter-Sharpener F has an enlarged opening f, through .which the shaft Dpasses, and also has upon one face an annular rib f. This feed-roll andSharpener is pressed against the face of the cutter by IOO awange g onthe sleeve Gr, fitted upon the shaft, and urged against the side of theroll by a spiral spring G', surrounding the sleeve and held betweenthetlange and the nut Gr2 on the end 'of the shaft. As shown in thedrawings, the feed-roll and Sharpener F is held away from the face ofthe cutter by the rib f and operates merely as a feed-roll, as will behereinafter described. When the roll is reversed, however, its iiat facelies against the cutter and in frictional contact therewith, and it thenoperates asl a Sharpener for, the cutter. In either position thefrictional contact between the roll and cutter is such that the roll iscarried around with the cutter, but ata less speed of rotation than thatof the cutter. An adjustment in this-regard is afforded by varying thepressure of the spring G'.

In the end of the base B of the laterallyprojecting frame a dovetailedgroove or way II is formed, and in it is fitted a sliding piece I,carried or controlled by a fiat spring I', secured at t' to the frameand having a tensionadjusting screw t passing through it and into theframe. The strain of this spring is upward, and its movement is limitedin such direction by an adjustable screw-stop t2. A loose pin K, restingupon the upper face of the spring and passing through an aperture in thebase-piece B, may be forced downwardly by a lever K', pivoted upon ahorizontal stud or bolt k, to depress the spring and lower the piece I,carried by it. This lever, as indicated in Fig. 5, may have extendingfrom it a connecting-rod Zt', that may be drawn down by a treadlesuitably located so as to lower the piece I at the will of the operator,for a purpose that will presently appear. The piece I hasa lateralprojection I2 extending therefrom on the same inclined plane in whichthe bed-plate B lies, and to the vertical end face of which is secured ashear-plate I3, that coperates with the circular cutter and has itsupper edge rounded in the direction of its length. The feed andSharpener roll F bears upon this edge, and the roll and plate coperateto form a feeding device for feeding the hat-brim to the cutter. Aguide-block L, fitted to slide upon the lateral projection I2 of thepiece I, is connected on each side by links M with a flanged slidingplate N, lying upon andv whose flanges embrace the edges of thebed-plate B.- The Vlinks have a pivotal motion upon the bolts thatconnect their ends to the block L and slidingplate N. A post N' on thebed-plate Athe direction of its length. On the upright C, adjacent tothe cutter, is adj ustably mounted a bracket O, having al post at itsouter end, upon which is adjustably secured by a setscrew the stern O ofa guide-finger, the lower end of which extends parallel with the grooveo and is curved upon its under face to conform to the general curvatureof the bottom of the groove, which is generally that of the face of theblock L. It will be obvious that by the manipulation of the screw-boltfn. the

groove o in the block L may be adjusted toward and from the shear-plateand that by the adjustment of the guide-finger O2 it may be brought intoproper relation with the groove so that these parts will coperate toform a supporting-guide for the hat in feeding it to the cutter. Asindicated in Fig. 2, the corrngation formed near the edge of thehat-brim lies in the groove o and is guided therein by the guide-tingerO2. By the manipulation of the lever K the spring I' may be depressed,carrying with it the block L and the shear-plate I3. A hat having acurled brim X, such as shown in Fig. 2, may then be placed upon theblock and shear-plate so that the convex portion of the corrugation a:formed therein lies in the groove o, and when the lever is released andthe block L rises the guide-iinger will lie in the depression of thecorrugation. The hat may now be fed to the machine, the feed beingassisted by the roll F, and the inclination of the frame is such, asbefore stated, that the hat will hang naturally and the corrugation willtravel within the guide-groove o under the guide-finger, the surplusportion of the brim being severed just inside the corrugation :r by therotary cutter. The proximity of the guide-groove o to the edge of thecutter may be varied by the nianipulation of the screw-bolt n to adaptthe machine to the rounding of different styles of hats having the brimsprepared for rounding in 'the way shownthat is to say, the line of therounding cut may be nearer to or farther from the corrugation, as may bedesired.

It will be apparent that with little practice any one may operate thismachine at a high speed and round a large number of hats and that theymay be uniformly and relatively IOO IIO

perfectly rounded, so that a substantially nnii `to correspond generallywith the curve of the edge of the shear-plate and is inclinedtransversely from the outer corner, angle, or edge downwardly. Thistransversely-inclined ed ge face forms a seat for the hat-brim, and itswidth is increased by a lateral flange p, extending part way over or`across the upper edge of the shear-plate. The plate P has aright-angular extension P' at one end, which is bolted to the block L,Fig. 6, and moves t with it. y

The grooved block L does not now perform the function of a guide, andthe guide-linger O2 is therefore removed, so as not to obstruct the rawedge of the hat. To assist in the feeding of the hats, I employ aguide-finger Q, bolted to the sliding plate N and extending forward infront of the cutter and under which the hat-brim is fed. In this classof Work I prefer to substitute for the circular smoothedged cutter acircular cutter haring a serrated cutting edge, as seen in Fig. 5.

As seen in Fig. 7, the interior angle of the brim formed by theHarige-like edge y hangs upon the high outer edge of the plate P, andthe flange-like edge y extends inwardly under the cutter and over theshearing edge of the shear-plate. The roll F, before, serves as afeed-roll. By adjusting the block L the plate P, carried thereby, may bemoved toward or from the cutter to regulate the distance of the roundingcut from the angle in the brim. As previously stated, the inclination ofthe laterally-projecting frame is such that the hat hangs naturally, asindicated in Figs. 2 and 7, with its axis parallel, or substantially so,with the axis of the cutter and may readily be fed around under thecutter.

Because of the curl or flange-like edge of the hat-brim and the locationof the crown of the hat entirely to one side of the plane Where the brimjoins the hat-body a hat if suspended from the curl or flange edge ofthe brim will hang with its axis at an angle to the hori- Zontal. Thisis indicated in Fig. 2, Where the broken line a b indicates the axis ofthe hat. With the hat hanging as indicated in Fig. 2, and as-it will ofcourse so hang when suspended from the edge .of its brim, if thecuttershaft Were horizontal the brims would not be rounded or cut Withthe same degree of perfection as Where the cutter-shaft is, as shown inthe drawings, arranged at an angle to a horizontal plane and preferablyat such angle as to be parallel, or substantially so, with the axis ofthe hat. Inthis machine the placing of the cutter-shaft at an angle suchas that shown, or substantially so, is not therefore a mere arbitraryarrangement, but is one that results in the improved or more perfectoperation of the machine. With a machine so organized the hat issuspended from the guide, hanging freely, so that it assumes theposition determined by its center of gravity, and when carried aroundbythe feed devices it naturally maintains its relative relation to theoperating parts of the machine with but slight guidance by the operator.Uniform work may he performed by the machine with but little danger ofany of the hats being spoiled in the operation of rounding them.

In both of the constructions described there is present abrim-supporting guide that engages the curl or flanged edge of thehat-brim, and so suspends the hat as the brim is fed to the cutter. Thusin Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, this brim-supporting guide consists of thegrooved block L and the coperating guidenger. In Figs. 5 to 7,inclusive, the brimsupporting guide consists of the supporting andguiding plate P. It will be apparent that these two brim-supportingguides perform analogous functions and that by their lateral adjustmentin line with the axis of the cutter the line of the rounding cut may bevaried as desired.

I claim as my inventionl. In a hat-rounding machine, the combination ofa rotary cutter, a guide engaging the curl or Hanged edge of thehat-brim, supporting the hat therefrom so that it hangs with its axissubstantially parallel with the axis of the cutter, and over which thecurled edge of the brim is fed to the cutter, means for adjusting theguide in line with the longitudinal axis of the cutter to determine theline of the rounding cut on the edge of the brim, and means fordepressing the brimsupporting guide to permit the insertion of the hat.

2. In a hat-rounding machine, the combination of a rotary cutter, aguide arranged ben eath it and engaging the curl or flanged ed ge of thehatbrim,means for adjusting the guide in line with the longitudinal axisof the cutter, a spring-supported frame carrying such brim-guide, andmeans for depressing the frame to permit the insertion of the curlededge of the hat-brim. e

3. In a hat-rounding machine, the combination of a rotary cutter, afixed shear-plate coperating therewith, a guide engaging the curl orfianged edge of the hat-brim, means for adjusting such guide todetermine thelocation of the rounding cut ou the curled edge of thebrim, and means for depressing the guide to permit the insertion of thecurled edge of the hat-brim.

4. In a hat-rounding machine, the combination of the inclinedlaterally-projecting frame, a circular cutter and a cooperatingshear-plate mounted at one end thereof, a

guide engaging the curl or flanged edge ofV the hat-brim, theinclination of the frame being such as to cause the hat to hang by itscurled edge in proper position for the curled edge to be freely fed tothe cutter,means for adjusting the guide in line With the longitudinalaxis of the cutter, means for depressing it to permit the insertion ofthe curled edge ofthe hatbrim between it and the cutter, and a feedingIOO IOL,-

IIO

device for assisting the feed of the hat-brim a brim-supporting guidemounted upon suchv vertically-movable piece, means for adjusting theguide in line with the longitudinal axis of the cutter,and means fordepressing the vertically-movable piece to permit the insertion of thehat-brim.

6. In a hat-rounding machine, the combination of the inclinedlaterally-projecting frame having a guideway in the end face thereof, aspring-supported piece movable vertically in such guideway, ashear-plate coperating with the cutter and mounted upon a lateralextension of such movable piece, a brimsupporting guide sliding uponsuch lateral extension at right angles to the line of movement of themovable piece, means for adjusting the brim-supporting guide, and meansfor depressing the movable piece to permit the insertion of thehat-brim.

7. In a hat-rounding machine, the combination of thelaterally-projecting frame, a verticallymovable springsupported piecemounted in the end thereof, a shear-plate attached to the lateralextension from said piece, a rotary cutter cooperating with theshearplate, a brim-supporting guide mounted upon said lateral extension,a sliding plate mounted on the laterally-projecting frame, andoperatively connected by links with the brimsupporting guide, means foradjusting the sliding plate to eect the adjustment of thebrim-supporting guide, and means for depressing the vertically-movablepiece to permit the insertion of the hat-brim.

S. In a hat-rounding machine, the combination of a laterally-projectingframe, a movable piece mounted in the end thereof, a flat sprin gsupporting the movable piece attached to the laterally-extending frame,and lying beneath it, means for depressing the movable piece, ashear-plate carried by a lateral extension from the movable piece, arotary cutter cooperating therewith, and a brim-supporting guide carriedby the movable piece and adjustable in the line of the axis of thecutter, to determine the line of the rounding cut.

.9. In a hat-rounding machine, the combination of a rotary cutter, afixed shear-plate coperating therewith, a brim supporting guide engagingthe curl or flanged edge of the hat-brim, means foradjusting suchbrim-supporting guide to determine the location of the rounding cut,means for depressing the guide to permit the insertion of the hat-brim,and a feed-roll loosely mounted upon the cuttershaftand bearing upon thehat-brim to assist the feed of the brim to the cutter.

10. In a hat-rounding machine, the combination of the inclinedlaterally-projecting frame, a circular cutter and a cooperatingshear-plate mounted at one end thereof, a brim-supporting guide engagingthe curl or flanged edge of the hat-brim, from which the hat is thussuspended as it is fed to the cutter, means for adjusting thebrim-supporting guide in line with the longitudinal axis of the cutter,means for depressing it to permit the insertion of the hat-brim betweenit and the cutter, and a feed-roll loosely mounted upon the cutter-shaftand bearing on the hat-brim to assist the feed of the brim to thecutter.

11. In a hat-rounding machine, the combination of a rotary cutter, theshear-plate appropriately mounted with reference to the cutter, agrooved guide-block adjustable toward and from the cutter in linesparallel with its longitudinal axis, and an adjustable guide-footcoperating with the groove in the block, substantially as set forth.

12. In a hat-rounding machine, the combination of a rotary cutter, theshear-plate appropriately mou nted with reference to the cutter at oneside of the edge thereof, a feed-roll bearing upon the edge of theshear-plate adjacent to the cutter, a grooved guide-block on the otherside of the edge of the cutter, and a guide-finger coperating with thegroove in the block, substantially as set forth.

13. In a hat-rounding machine, the combiu nation of a rotary cutter, theshear-plate appropriately mounted with reference to the cutter at oneside of the edge thereof, a feedroll bearing upon the edge of theshear-plate adjacent to the cutter and having an enlarged openingthrough which the shaft of the cutter passes and running in frictionalcontact with the side face of the cutter, a grooved guide-block Von theother side of the edge of the cutter, and a guide-finger cooperatingWith the groove in the block, substantially as set forth.

14. In a hat-rounding machine, the combination of a rotary cutter, ashear-plate appropriately placed to one side of the edge thereof, aframe carrying the shear-plate, a spring for holding the frame up andmeans for depressing it to separate the cutter and shearplate.

l5. The combination with a rotary cutter, its shaft, a feeding-wheelwith its opening larger than the shaft loosely mounted thereon infrictional contact with the face of the cutter and having an eccentricmotion with respect to said shaft, for the purpose of assisting the feedof the hat-brim to the cutter, a brim-supporting guide engaging the curlor flange of the brim and from which the hat is suspended, and means fordepressing said support and guide,substantially as described.

16. A Sharpener for rotary cutters, consisting of a smooth disk mountedloosely on the same shaft with the cutter, and means for holding it incontact with said cutter, substantially as described.

17. A Sharpener for rotary cutters, consisting of a smooth disk mountedon the same shaft with the cutter controlling it,said sharpenerrevolving in the same direction as the rotary cutter, and at a slowerspeed.

18. A combined feeding-wheel and sharpener for rotary cutters looselymounted on the same shaft with the cutter, in frictional contacttherewith and capable of being reversed on the shaft, so as to act ineither position as IOO IIO

a feed-wheel and in one position as a sharpener also, substantially asset forth.

19. In a hat-rounding machine, the combination of the rotary cutter, itsshaft, the reversible feed-wheel and cutter-sharpenerhaving an enlargedopeningthrough which the shaft passes, a spring for holding one side ofthe wheel in frictional contact with the face of the cutter when actingas a Sharpener, and means as a rib on the other side of the Wheel forpreventing close surface contact of the cutter and wheel when the latteris reversed, the Wheel in both positions acting as a feed- Wheel and inone position as a Sharpener also, substantially as set forth.

20. In a hat-rounding machine the combination of a laterally-projectingframe having an unobstructed space beneath its outer end, a hat supportand guide arranged at the outer end of the frame and that engages thecurled or flanged edge of the hat which is suspended freely from it withits crown turned inwardly, a rotating trimming-cutter arranged above theguide and support and cooperating therewith to trim or round thehat-brim as it is fed around under the cutter, and a feeding deviceacting upon the brim to assist in carrying it around under the cutter.

2l. In a hat-rounding machine the combination of a laterally-projectingframe having an unobstructed space beneath its outer end,

a vertically-adjustable hat support and guide arranged at the outer endof the frame and that engages the curled or flanged edge of the hatwhich is suspended freely from it with its crown turned inwardly, arotating trimmingcutter arranged above the guide and support andcoperating therewith to trim or round the hat-brim as it is fed aroundunder the cutter and a feeding device acting upon the brim to assist incarrying it around under the cutter.

22. In a hat-rounding machine the combination of a laterally-projectingupwardly-inclined frame having an unobstructed space beneath its outerend, ahat support and guide arranged at the outer end of the frame andthat engages the curled or anged edge ofthe hat which is suspendedfreely therefrom With its axis inclined to a horizontal plane and arotating trimming-cutter arranged above the guide and support, turningabout an axis parallel or substantially so with the axis of the hat andoperating to trim the brim as the hat is fed around over the guide andsupport and under the cutter.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name.

JAMES STEWART, JR.

Witnessesz EDWARD L. SCHULTZ, WILLARD H. GARRISON.

